Founder of Antler Capital

Stanley Tsai, CFA

Macroeconomics

The divergence between China's May PPI and CPI was materially wider than expected. At 7.7%, the gap has reached a new high. Cost pressures on mid/downstream producers are mounting, although in our view, a good portion of that risk has been priced into equity valuations. Consumer prices will likely remain benign for the rest of the year, owing to subdued food prices and Beijing's tight grip on the supply chain (Exhibit 1).
The sharp bounce in PPI is reminiscent of what we saw in 2010 and 2017. But the external environment is vastly different from both monetary and geopolitical perspectives. In any case, we believe we are close to the peak in the cycle, if we are not already there.
Headline CPI was benign, putting concerns over tightening to rest for the time being. To be clear, inflation will gradually trickle down to the consumer, but the pace appears to be steady. At the current rate, we see CPI ending the year at the 2% level. We believe this scenario is supportive of a rotation into consumer cyclicals.
Overall, the new trade and inflation data reinforce our view that monetary policy will stay the course in 2H21. But we will probably see moderately tighter lending conditions through the summer and autumn. Slower credit growth may also weigh on construction activity, curbing further commodity rallies. 
With consumer prices in check, policymakers will remain focused on frothy property values. The key policy risk continues to shift to the long end of the lending curve, with marginal upward strain on the five-year loan prime rate on which mortgage pricing is based.
<table class="table table-striped">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%;">Exhibit 1: China | CPI &amp; PPI % Change y/y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%;">
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/212/158/original/image_705612152181623231380328.png?1623231381" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="212158"></figure>
Source: National Bureau of Statistics
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

The divergence between China's May PPI and CPI was materially wider than expected. At 7.7%, the gap has reached a new high. Cost pressures on mid/downstream producers are mounting, although in our view, a good portion of that risk has been priced into equity valuations. Consumer prices will likely remain benign for the rest of the year, owing to subdued food prices and Beijing's tight grip on the supply chain (Exhibit 1).
The sharp bounce in PPI is reminiscent of what we saw in 2010 and 2017. But the external environment is vastly different from both monetary and geopolitical perspectives. In any case, we believe we are close to the peak in the cycle, if we are not already there.
Headline CPI was benign, putting concerns over tightening to rest for the time being. To be clear, inflation will gradually trickle down to the consumer, but the pace appears to be steady. At the current rate, we see CPI ending the year at the 2% level. We believe this scenario is supportive of a rotation into consumer cyclicals.
Overall, the new trade and inflation data reinforce our view that monetary policy will stay the course in 2H21. But we will probably see moderately tighter lending conditions through the summer and autumn. Slower credit growth may also weigh on construction activity, curbing further commodity rallies. 
With consumer prices in check, policymakers will remain focused on frothy property values. The key policy risk continues to shift to the long end of the lending curve, with marginal upward strain on the five-year loan prime rate on which mortgage pricing is based.



Exhibit 1: China | CPI &amp; PPI % Change y/y




Source: National Bureau of Statistics





China Macro: PPI Peaks, While CPI Eases Tightening Fears

May export data were considerably weaker than expected, but in our view, it's still much too early to call an inflection point.
Exports surprised on the downside. In dollar terms, exports were up 27.9% y/y, shy of the 30+% level the market expected.  The weakness came primarily from textile, home electronics and medical equipment. Even if we exclude the impact of higher demand for pandemic-related goods in May 2020, the numbers still look weak across the board, with momentum retreating amongst China's major trading partners.
On the other hand, imports remained robust. Imports were up 51.1% y/y, ahead of expectations. Inflation, transitory or not, continued to drive import prices higher. Unsurprisingly, fuels, metals and soy were the key components of the story here.
China's trade surplus rose to USD45.5bn, an increase of 5.2% y/y or 6.3% m/m, after adjusting for the 2020 anomalies. Meanwhile, the country's FX reserve reached a recent high of USD3.22tn, up 3.9% y/y or 0.7% m/m, thanks to the weak USD. We see USD/CNY testing the 6.3 level in the coming months.
Looking ahead, we see reasons to remain optimistic about export growth in the next few quarters, but the mix will likely change. Despite the worrying situations in India, Singapore and Taiwan, retail activity has picked up noticeably in many parts of the world. Google Mobility provides a useful alternative dataset to gauge the reopening progress. In our opinion, these figures point to continued support for mid/downstream sectors (Exhibit 1).
<table class="table table-striped">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 726.047px;">Exhibit 1: % Change in Visits to Retail &amp; Recreational Spots | Trends</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 726.047px;">
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/211/860/original/image_26179632271623124889068.png?1623124890" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="211860"></figure>
Source: Google; Our analysis
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

May export data were considerably weaker than expected, but in our view, it's still much too early to call an inflection point.
Exports surprised on the downside. In dollar terms, exports were up 27.9% y/y, shy of the 30+% level the market expected.  The weakness came primarily from textile, home electronics and medical equipment. Even if we exclude the impact of higher demand for pandemic-related goods in May 2020, the numbers still look weak across the board, with momentum retreating amongst China's major trading partners.
On the other hand, imports remained robust. Imports were up 51.1% y/y, ahead of expectations. Inflation, transitory or not, continued to drive import prices higher. Unsurprisingly, fuels, metals and soy were the key components of the story here.
China's trade surplus rose to USD45.5bn, an increase of 5.2% y/y or 6.3% m/m, after adjusting for the 2020 anomalies. Meanwhile, the country's FX reserve reached a recent high of USD3.22tn, up 3.9% y/y or 0.7% m/m, thanks to the weak USD. We see USD/CNY testing the 6.3 level in the coming months.
Looking ahead, we see reasons to remain optimistic about export growth in the next few quarters, but the mix will likely change. Despite the worrying situations in India, Singapore and Taiwan, retail activity has picked up noticeably in many parts of the world. Google Mobility provides a useful alternative dataset to gauge the reopening progress. In our opinion, these figures point to continued support for mid/downstream sectors (Exhibit 1).



Exhibit 1: % Change in Visits to Retail &amp; Recreational Spots | Trends




Source: Google; Our analysis





China Macro: Exports Disappoint, but It's Still Early in the Game

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Event-Driven

Post market close on 28 May, the China Securities Index Company announced the changes to the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shanghai-shenzhen-csi-300-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22906:1" rel="noopener">Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 Index (SHSZ300 INDEX)</a> that will be effective after the close of trading on 11 June.There are 25 inclusions and exclusions in the review with an estimated one-way turnover of 3.67%.There are 10 trading days to implementation of the changes. There are 4 inclusions that will have over 1 day of ADV to buy from passive funds while there are 15 deletions that will have over 1 day of ADV to sell. The actual impact could be higher as cash and carry baskets are rebalanced and active managers reposition their portfolios to no deviate too far from their benchmark.The inclusions have outperformed the deletions by 15% over the last month and while there could be a pop in the returns over the next few sessions, we recommend gradually exiting existing positions and re-entering prior to implementation on a selloff in the trade.

Post market close on 28 May, the China Securities Index Company announced the changes to the Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 Index (SHSZ300 INDEX) that will be effective after the close of trading on 11 June.There are 25 inclusions and exclusions in the review with an estimated one-way turnover of 3.67%.There are 10 trading days to implementation of the changes. There are 4 inclusions that will have over 1 day of ADV to buy from passive funds while there are 15 deletions that will have over 1 day of ADV to sell. The actual impact could be higher as cash and carry baskets are rebalanced and active managers reposition their portfolios to no deviate too far from their benchmark.The inclusions have outperformed the deletions by 15% over the last month and while there could be a pop in the returns over the next few sessions, we recommend gradually exiting existing positions and re-entering prior to implementation on a selloff in the trade.

CSI300 Index Rebalance: 25 Changes as Long/Short Trade Does Well

China and US Equity Analyst

Roger Xie

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>We become increasing encouraged that China equity (A-share and Hong Kong) market could stage a medium-term rebound after prolonged market correction since beginning of the year. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shanghai-shenzhen-csi-300-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22906:1" rel="noopener">Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 Index (SHSZ300 INDEX)</a> gained 0.5% and tech-focused <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/chinext-price-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25483:1" rel="noopener">Chinext Price Index (SZ399006 INDEX)</a> gained 2.6% past week. The daily average traded value rebounded to RMB 800bn. We expect tech will likely lead the rebound since they have declined the biggest in the correction.</li>
<li>On the macro front, China April data on domestic activity is generally weaker than expected. The biggest disappointment came from retail sales, which suddenly lost momentum in April.  Industrial Production (IP) also came in below expectations in April (+0.5% month-over-month). The domestic Treasury bond yields have been moving lower after the release of April macro data. Combined with recent statement from China central bank, we believe this leaves more room for central bank to provide more liquidity to the market.</li>
<li>On the earning front, around 76% of MSCI China constituents have released their 1Q21 earnings. They have reported earnings growth 35.6% in 1Q21 and majority of them beat market consensus. Sectors with the highest growth have recovered quickly from last year. Semiconductor design, electronics with AR/VR, automobile electronics, and consumption would likely outperform in coming months. </li>
</ul>


We become increasing encouraged that China equity (A-share and Hong Kong) market could stage a medium-term rebound after prolonged market correction since beginning of the year. Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 Index (SHSZ300 INDEX) gained 0.5% and tech-focused Chinext Price Index (SZ399006 INDEX) gained 2.6% past week. The daily average traded value rebounded to RMB 800bn. We expect tech will likely lead the rebound since they have declined the biggest in the correction.
On the macro front, China April data on domestic activity is generally weaker than expected. The biggest disappointment came from retail sales, which suddenly lost momentum in April.  Industrial Production (IP) also came in below expectations in April (+0.5% month-over-month). The domestic Treasury bond yields have been moving lower after the release of April macro data. Combined with recent statement from China central bank, we believe this leaves more room for central bank to provide more liquidity to the market.
On the earning front, around 76% of MSCI China constituents have released their 1Q21 earnings. They have reported earnings growth 35.6% in 1Q21 and majority of them beat market consensus. Sectors with the highest growth have recovered quickly from last year. Semiconductor design, electronics with AR/VR, automobile electronics, and consumption would likely outperform in coming months. 


China Equity Strategy: Market Set to Rebound and Rotate Back into Growth-Focused Tech

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 Index / Technical Analysis

Global equities (MSCI ACWI, ACWI ex-US, and EAFE) remain bullish with their uptrends intact, and the MSCI Emerging Markets index continues to hold above major support at $52 on the EEM-US. Additionally, Europe’s STOXX 50 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng are on the cusp of short-term breakouts, while the major indexes in China (Shanghai Composite &amp; CSI 300) are currently breaking above short-term resistance... see chart below. Considering the absence of breakdowns and the fact that market dynamics remain largely positive, our overall constructive outlook remains appropriate.

Global equities (MSCI ACWI, ACWI ex-US, and EAFE) remain bullish with their uptrends intact, and the MSCI Emerging Markets index continues to hold above major support at $52 on the EEM-US. Additionally, Europe’s STOXX 50 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng are on the cusp of short-term breakouts, while the major indexes in China (Shanghai Composite &amp; CSI 300) are currently breaking above short-term resistance... see chart below. Considering the absence of breakdowns and the fact that market dynamics remain largely positive, our overall constructive outlook remains appropriate.

Chinese Indexes Headed Higher; Actionable Themes: Transportation, Materials, and Services

China

The CSI 300 Index is a free-float weighted index that consists of 300 A-share stocks listed on the Shanghai or Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. Index has a base level of 1000 on 12/31/2004. * Due to our agreement with CSI, shares in the index is restricted, please visit SSIS<go> for more information and access. This ticker holds prices fed from Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 Index (SHSZ300 INDEX EQUITY)

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Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 Index (SHSZ300 INDEX EQUITY)

China Macro: PPI Peaks, While CPI Eases Tightening Fears

In our view, China's PPI has likely peaked, while CPI will remain benign. The current trajectory suggests limited room for monetary maneuvers. And...

Stanley Tsai, CFA

China Macro: Exports Disappoint, but It's Still Early in the Game

May export data were considerably weaker than expected, but in our view, it's still much too early to call an inflection point.

Stanley Tsai, CFA

CSI300 Index Rebalance: 25 Changes as Long/Short Trade Does Well

There are 25 changes to the CSI300 Index that will be implemented at the close on 11 June. One-way turnover is 3.67% and the adds have outperformed...

Brian Freitas

China Equity Strategy: Market Set to Rebound and Rotate Back into Growth-Focused Tech

We become increasing encouraged that China equity market could stage a medium-term rebound after prolonged market correction since beginning of the...

Roger Xie

Chinese Indexes Headed Higher; Actionable Themes: Transportation, Materials, and Services

The evidence continues to suggest that value remains leadership and we recommend adding exposure to cyclical value on this minor pullback in the...

Vermilion Research

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